Can Someone Tell Me about My Pipe Louis Fiolet

[tessa444]

This is the pipe I have no idea about

 

[lonestar]

That is a beautiful Meerschaum pipe, the stem is likely Amber.

Any markings at all ?

 

[tessa444]

Well I looked at the Amber pipe again and can't find any markings. I am not sure but I think the collar part holding the stem to the pipe might be Sterling? Does that sound right?

 

[zunismoke]

Tessa, Look closely at the metal. If it is silver there might be a hallmark, sometimes very small! The stem on the skull pipe looks like cherry wood. Metal looks like it has a pattern, usually found on silver bands.

 

[zunismoke]

The pipe with the amber stem has to be quite old. The amber dates it to early 1900's and the black looks like it is colored from smoking. I do not think I have ever seen coloring that dark. Someone smoked it a lot for a long time!

 

[zunismoke]

Be very careful handling the amber stem. They are quite fragile. It is probably attached to the pipe with a double bone screw.

 

[zunismoke]

Also on the meerschaum, check inside the case for any old stickers that might give a clue as to the maker.

 

[zunismoke]

That is one beautiful pipe! Lonestar is right, keep it as a family heirloom, which it is of course it is.

 

[tessa444]

Thank you for the info, I do plan on keeping them, but I have this lump in the pit of my stomach...I am almost afraid to ask, but I threw out the old corn cob pipe because it looked terribly filthy and well it looked like corn! I thought it was tacky, I hope you are not going to tell me that was the holy grail of pipes. I thought they were a dime a dozen.

 

[mluyckx]

WOW... 8O
That is indeed a gorgeous Fiolet in excellent condition.
I echo what Lonestar and Zuni said about the meerschaum. It'll be fragile. If the band's got a hallmark, it's silver. But the absence of one does not rule out it being silver. Not all countries subscribed to hallmarking silver.
I'm glad as well you are deciding to keep them. They're gorgeous family heirlooms. Certain stores can actually put them in a shadowbox for you so you can hang them on the wall. Michael's, Hobby Lobby, those kind of places can do it.
On the cob.. oh well.. what is done is done. I'm not a cob expert so I'll let others chime in on whether there is such a thing as the holy grail of cob pipes ;-)
Gorgeous finds, excellent stuff.. thanks so much for sharing and get them framed, boxed and hang them on the wall for many years to come !

 

[lonestar]

I hope you are not going to tell me that was the holy grail of pipes. I thought they were a dime a dozen.

If it was as well smoked as these two, it probably had no financial value. I collect old corncobs and would have liked to see it but unless it was something extremely rare, an old used cob is basically worth nothing.

 

[lonestar]

whether there is such a thing as the holy grail of cob pipes [;-)]

Oh yeah, there is ! But, it will be unsmoked :D I will buy a used cob if its a really rare shape, but I will always be looking to replace it with an unsmoked one.

 

[brian64]

Welcome Tessa...and thanks for sharing those pics. The Fiolet is a very cool little historical piece you have there! I too am glad to hear you are not selling either of them.

 

[smooth]

This discussion just makes me (and probably all of us) so wish that WE could make such finds!

 

[cortezattic]

Absolutely magnificent pipes! :clap:

Both should be treated as the rare and fragile objects they are.

Thanks so much for having the presence of mind to post in this forum. It was a real treat for us pipe geeks. :D

 

[photoman13]

Never thought I would say this, but I don't think I would smoke those. Maybe get them framed and hang them on a wall or something. The historical value is phenomenal.